SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have reiterated principles and communicated guidelines to local leaders in the United States regarding immigration issues.
The procedures were given a week after an executive order made a change to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy by expanding where enforcement can take place – which now includes schools, churches, and hospitals. These locations were previously considered off-limits to enforce immigration laws.
Thursday’s official statement included the following principals guiding the Church’s approach:
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints obeys the law.
- We follow Jesus Christ by loving our neighbors. The Savior taught that the meaning of “neighbor” includes all of God’s children.
- We seek to provide basic food and clothing, as our capacity allows, to those in need, regardless of their immigration status. We are especially concerned about keeping families together.
Church leaders stressed that the guidance closely follows statements made previously on these issues, which are available on the Church’s website.
“The Office of General Counsel (OGC) has created guidelines to help local leaders comply with federal laws that criminalize harboring, transporting, or encouraging undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States,” the official statement read. “OGC also carefully tracks legal developments to ensure local outreach and area-initiated humanitarian activities are appropriate.”
Local leaders were advised to contact the Office of General Counsel for further information.